Toxic Masculinity
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Introduction
There exists debate regarding the issue of masculinity. Today, the society is divided over the concept due to the adverse effects it has had on individuals. Accordingly, Mark Greene, in his work “Manning Up,” explores the various challenges that men face in the community setup (Greene, 2020). Similarly, masculinity is one of the topics the author addresses, and proposals are made concerning the best measures to be taken to avert the case. Precisely the issue of toxic masculinity is considered as one of the factors that contribute to male challenges. For instance, within the societal setup, male children are trained to adopt roles that depict masculinity at an early age. Similarly, tradition has an impact on the behaviors portrayed by the majority of male individuals.
According to Greene, the males are supposed to be less emotional in comparison to their female counterparts. The feeling here is that at such an early age, the young boys should train to persevere some experiences that result in pain. Likewise, the case creates a sense of rebellion among the individuals, and consequently, the actions portrayed by the males are those that express authority. There is a feeling of command among the group. As such, the boys adopt characters that signify superiority over the females.
Similarly, the cultural perception that only females should express emotions is deceptive. As a result of nature, there is a need for interactions between individuals, both male and females. Hence, just like the other gender, males can express their feelings. According to Greene, the lack of provision of support to the male children concerning emotional expression contributes to peer pressure. He argues that effective communication between individuals within the community contributes significantly to problem-solving. On the other hand, toxic masculinity requires that the males have to persevere with some of the problems. In such a case, the individuals are at a high chance of suffering from stress due to a lack of emotional support. Similarly, the situation results in individuals joining peer groups to feel emotionally safe.
According to Roger Kirby, toxic masculinity fosters the occurrence of harmful practices within the society as a whole (Kirby, 2019). The situation results in poor behavior among males. The majority of individuals adopt poor lifestyles. Further, the individuals do not put adequate efforts in seeking proper medical care. In the article, as a result of peer pressure, the individuals adopt poor habits like smoking, heavy alcohol intake, and homosexuality.
As presented by Greene, the ability of a man to express his emotions in difficult times is crucial to avoid the resulting adverse effects (Greene, 2020). As such, society should implement measures that will enhance the training of young males, the essence of sharing out emotional experiences. The lack of provision of moral support has led to the rise of homosexuality incidences. The individuals in such groups feel superior and consequently have the feeling that they can act in any manner they wish. As such, within the peer groups, there is pressure from the friends that persuade the individuals to behave in the same way. In such a situation, the males who deviate from the group requirements are considered weak and less masculine. As a result, to conform to the group activities, the individuals are coerced into practicing homosexuality.
While just like girls, boys have the emotional capabilities of expressing happiness as well as sadness, societal customs mean that the males are limited in terms of emotional expression. The culture requires all males to conform to a certain standard. Such a norm is harmful since it creates a predefined set of behavior that harms the long term development of the individuals. Notably, individuals do not feel as comfortable as being part of the larger society as a result of limited interactions. The set conditions also mean that ultimately, the boys have to form or join groups that will provide them with a sense of freedom.
Consequently, the boys join groups like those that practice homosexuality. As indicated by Kirby, the consequences of the practices are detrimental as the individuals face the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS (Kirby, 2019). Thus, society needs to establish customs that will support the active development of males to assume productive roles.
Further, the case explored by Kirby indicates the effects of toxic masculinity. AS a result of the feeling of superiority, the choices made by the males have devastating effects. For instance, a significant number of males are suffering from the consequences of toxic masculinity. In comparison to females, males do not seek regular healthcare practices due to societal perceptions. Additionally, individuals indulge in poor lifestyles like excessive alcohol and a weak diet. As such, the effects of toxic masculinity has led to increased incidences of illness among males.
Moreover, the lack of opportunity for males to express their emotions results in long term pain. In such situations, the individuals are forced to conceal their stories. Similarly, the resulting situation is harmful as the males may resort to violent activities like rape to let express their feelings. Notably, a majority of males are suffering the consequences of manning up as a result of societal expectations. The individuals have to cope with the pressure of ignoring emotional challenges to depict themselves as manly. However, in the process of fulfilling the customs, men are suffering from depression related illnesses. In short, societal expectations has led to devastating effects on males. Ultimately, unless urgent measures are established within society, the majority of males will continue suffering from the adverse effects of toxic masculinity.
The societal view of masculinity has created situations in which the males and females assume different roles at an early age. The cultural differences between men and women mean that an individual has to assume roles that are predefined by the cultural requirements. Notably, the males have been granted considerable power over the female. During their development, the boys adopt behaviors that show authority over the girls. As a result of toxic masculinity, females are expected to be submissive to men and behave in a way that depicts gentleness. Similarly, the boys have to act in a way that does not portray softness. As such, in the quest to look superior to the opposite gender, males act violently to indicate strength. Violent nature has resulted in the rise of rape culture due to sexual assaults. Similarly, the act has become a norm as women are sexually mistreated as males strive to prove their masculinity.
Additionally, the concept of toxic masculinity has also contributed significantly to the emergence of the rape culture. According to Jeremy Posadas, the increased rate of gender-based violence in society is a result of masculinity (Posadas, 2017). The statement seems to be valid due to the connection between the societal perceptions of male characteristics. Males are trained at an early age to assume a strong character. As such, the boys view their opposite gender as weak individuals.
Equally, the males regard themselves as superior individuals that deserve massive respect from the females. Ultimately, the boys have to act in a way that demonstrates the power to express their masculinity. Notably, masculinity does not necessarily represent a negative attitude. However, societal expectations have created a situation whereby the males have to act in a manner that indicates strength. Consequently, males adopt negative behavior concerning physical appearance. Similarly, individuals utilize the situation to perpetrate violence like rape against women.
Conclusion
The societal expectations of the male gender have led to a negative impact on both the individuals as well as the general society. The training given to the boys as they grow up is adopted all through to adulthood. Equally, the boys are taught to assume roles that will indicate superiority. As such, males are not expected to harbor many emotions. Emotional behavior is attributed to females. Nature, however, presents an emotional situation for all. Ultimately, the majority of the male individuals conceal their emotional challenges to man up. Similarly, in the absence of emotional support, the individuals adopt weak behaviors such as excessive alcohol intake as well as poor eating habits that re detrimental to their well-being. Further, the perception of superiority has also contributed to the emergence of the rape culture that has fostered violence against women. Some of the individuals also engage in peer behaviors that, in certain instances, may result in death. As such, society must adjust its perception concerning masculinity to eliminate the adverse consequences.
References
Greene, M. (2020). Manning Up. The Good Men Project. Retrieved from https://goodmenproject.com/author/mark-greene/.
Kirby, M. (2019). The Perils of Toxic Masculinity: Four case studies. Trends in Urology and Men’s Health.
Posadas, J. (2017). Teaching the Cause of Rape Culture. Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion.
References